Seam pressing machine



4 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed May 26, 1950 I NVENTOR EH 7054 60L 0,

ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1955 5. GOLD SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Filed May 26. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY s. GOLD 2,699,616

SEAM PRESSING MACHINE 4' Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1955 Filed May 26, 1950 Jan. 18, 1955 5. GOLD SEAM PRESSING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 26, 1950 W J AN N YAjAl WIW K ILM lHJlQWKWCMII [3| III I I- INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patenn SEAM PRESSING MACHINE Samuel Gold, North BergemN. J., assignor .ofaone-fourth to" Howard. Dickstein and one-fourth torPhilip Reiss, bothiof Scranton, Pa.

Application May 26, 1950, Serialv No.-164,546

12 Claimsq (Cl."l38-14) I Objects of theinvention include a machine which elimi nates the danger of destroying a pre-sewed shape orforrn ofa garment in the, pressing of. the seams thereof; a machine of simplified and compact .construction which iseconomical to manufacture and which is simple to operate; a machine that is useful .in pressing with dry heat alone or with steam pressing alone or with a combination of both; a machinecomprisin a pressing .unit orhead provided with controlled. steaming means and controlled .heating means, said .head cooperating with power-driven roll means .topress. a seam therebe'tween; a machineincluding a pressing unit or head having a steam coil .therein communicating withan elongated circuitous narrow duct or passageway terminating in apertures for extravasation of steam upon material .being pressed and valve means for controlling the steam supply; a machine including a pressinghead having electrical heating means. for heating the head for .dry pressing alone or for superheating steam flowing therethrough; a machine .for pressing seams including .a vertically re-. ciprocablespressing ,head cooperating with .roll .means, means for actuating the head into and outof pressing position, electrical heating means in.the.pressing head, steam conduitmeans in the pressing head, valve.means carried by-the pressing head and operable upon reciprocation of the head to control the steam supply to the head. These and. other objects will be apparent from the description and t claims which. hereinafter .follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation 'of a machine according to the invention adapted to be placedor mounted upon a suitable support;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of .the machine of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a front end elevationaLview of the pressing end of the machine shown in Figure .l;

Figure 4 is an enlarged assembly view of the pressing head showing steam ports and other details;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of .the head shown in Figure 6;

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the pressing head, showing internal structural details;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 77 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a view in front elevation of a modification of the machine shown in Figure 1, the bottom roll and pressing head operating in a plane at right angles to the plane of the roll ofFigure 1;

Figure 9 is a view in .side elevation of the device shown in .Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the. base 1 has mounted thereon the hollow frame 2 having'an outwardly extending arm 3, thus defining a U-shapedframe forsupportinga pressing head 4 and a bottom roll'5 for pressing seams therebetween. The outer end of the arm 3 is provided with a vertically disposed extension 6 provided with a guide slot in which a guide 7 on the pressing head 4 is vertically'reciprocable. Up and down motion of the pressing head is obtained by reason of its connection at 27 with one .end of. the lever 8, which lever is fulcrumed or pivoted at-9 on the frame. arm 3, the other end of the lever 8 being pivotally. connected at 10 with an operating rod llwhich is vertically reciprocable through an opening 12. in therbase 1. The operating rod 11 has an eye 13 to which may be connected a chain for hand operation, orknown treadle. linkage for foot operation, or suitable knownconnection's for knee operation. A spring 14 surrounds the operating rod 11 for part of its length and is adjustably compressed between abutments defined by thebase 1 and a washer 15 and nut 16 and lock nut '17 threaded on the upperthreaded portion 11 of the operating rod. 11. By manually adjusting the nut 16', the pressing head 4 may be varied in' its pressure when in its down or pressing position.

Connected to the trame arm 3 at a pivotal connection 18'is an element 19 having a threaded end 20 carrying nuts 21 and 22 movably adjustable thereon. A lever arm23 has an opening or hole on one end thereof through which the threaded end 20 of the element 19 passes and thus slidably connects elements ,19 and 23. The other endof arm 23 is pivotally connected at 24 to an upstanding bifurcated extension of the portion 25 integral with the block 26. Carried by the arm 23 and affixed thereto is an element 28 having a stud 29 defining one end of a valve stem 38 which has a tapered lower end 31 adapted to seat in the opening of valve seat 33 in opening 61 of the block 26. The portion 25 is provided with a gland 32 to prevent steam leakage around the valve stem.- The block 26 is provided with the steam opening 61 which communicates with the steam coil 34in the head, which latter is supplied with steam through the inlet pipe 35. A narrow duct 36 in the block 26 communicates with an elongated duct 37 which passes through the head adjacent its outer edge and terminates in the .extravasation openings 38. The steam coil 34 is surrounded with electric resistance elements 39 and tilsuitably electrically insulated therefrom.

The roll-5 is covered by felt or other suitable material 41 and rotates on the shaft 42 journalled and supported intrunnions 43. Power to rotate the shaft 42 is transmitted from shaft 44 through the gearing defined by gears 45, 46, shaft 47, and gears 48 and 49, respectively. It will benoted that gears 45, 46 and 48 are all housed in the hollow frame 2 which may be suitably supported with its base -1 upona pedestal or other suitable means (not shown) at the socket 58. By known clutch control, the power through the gearing described to the roll 5 may be supplied at the will of the operator.

The pressing head 4 is in the form of a hollow box with a straight side 50 having a tapered portion 51 which terminates in a relatively small bottom 52 of slight curvaturehaving openings38 where contact is made with material to bepressed. The head 4 has a side 53 opposed to side 56, the side 53 terminating with an inclined face 54 which ends atan abutment 55 perpendicularly disposed with respect to the bottom 52. A seam spreader is shown at 59 located above the apron 60.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the roll 5 is supported to rotate in a direction at right angles to the direction of rotation of the roll in Figure 1. This roll is driven by translated motion of worm gears 56 and 57 from rotating shaft 62, and this roll arrangement is convenient for press ing seams in garments that may not be conveniently seampressed by the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

It will be observed from the figures, and particularly Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, that the steam supplied from any suitable source enters the head through the pipe 35 and circulatesthrough the helical steam coil 34 until it reaches the valve, which controls the steam supply that enters the opening 61 and passes through the duct 36. The pipe 35- is provided with a manually operated valve (not shown) to cut oif the steam supply entirely, if desired. The. electrical resistance heating means surrounding the steam coil is adapted to superheat the steam in the coil and/or to heat, or add heat to the pressing head. The electrical heating means is manually controlled by any suitableelectrical switch arrangement (not shown) to give low, medium or high heat, or to be switched off altogether, as desired. The valve means associated with the block 26 controlling the steam is preferably pre-set by adjustment of 21 and 22 and/or thread 29 on valve stem 30 allowing a minimum of steam vapor to flow through the head continuously thereby keeping the head continuously heated; when the head is down on the work, more steam vapor is supplied to the duct 36 and its terminal outlet 38.

The operation of the machine will be evident from the description herein. The seam to be pressed is inserted between the head and roll by pulling the operating rod 11 downwardly against the action of the spring 14, which tends to maintain the head 4 in down position under suitably adjusted spring pressure. Power derived from any suitable source such as an electric motor (not shown) is caused to rotate the shaft 44, through the medium of any suitable known clutch control, thereby causing positive rotation of the roll 5, which feeds the seamed material between the roll and head. Where steam pressing is desired, steam issues from the openings 38 in the pressing face of the head, the amount of steam issuing through the pressing face being controlled by presetting the valve in the block 26, which valve functions to open when the head is in down position and to close when the head is in up position. When valve stem 30 is in open position, steam enters pipe 35, circulates through the coil 34, then through the opening in the seat 33, then through the duct 36 and emerges at openings 38. When valve stem 30 is in closed position, the

' tapered portion 31 is seated on valve seat 33, and steam is trapped in coil 34 until the operator brings valve 30 in open position again.

With the head 4 in down position, the unseating of the valve stem at its tapered portion 31 opens the port of the seat 33, and the steam can then pass into the duct 36 and ultimately issue through openings 38. The valve stem 30 may be pre-set to permit proper operation of the valve for steam supply. Where superheated steam is required, electrical current is supplied to the electric resistance elements 39 and 40, and their proximity to the steam coil 34 effectively superheats the steam passing therethrough. Where steam pressing is not desired or required, hot pressing alone may be done by cutting off the steam supply before it enters the pipe 35 and heating the pressing head by the electrical heating means contained therein.

The lever arm 23 may be disconnected from the element 19 and thus permit the steam valve to be operated entirely by hand separately from and/or independently of the head reciprocating movement.

The seam pressing machine herein described and claimed is a compact, simplified structure capable of scam pressing with dry heat, steam alone, or superheated steam. Its simplicity lends itself to economical manufacture and its operation is flexible, economical, and easily carried out and controlled, thus effecting economies including substantial labor-saving.

Suitable modifications and variations may be made in the details of the various elements and in the machine without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination of a base and frame thereon, a pressing head mounted on said frame for reciprocating vertical motion, a work support roller mounted on said base below said pressing head, means carried by the frame for vertically reciprocating the pressing head, said pressing head having steam circulating means therein, valve means controlling the steam flow through said circulating means, and means pivotally mounted on the pressing head and responsive to the vertical movement of the pressing head for actuating the valve means.

2. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination of a U-shaped assembly defining a base support and a frame mounted on said support, a pressing head containing electrical heating means and steam dispensing means mounted on said frame for reciprocating vertical motion, a work support roller mounted on said assembly below sald pressing head, means for supplying steam to said pressing head, valve means mounted on said head for controlling the flow of steam therein, means pivotally mounted on the head for opening and closing the valve means, and means operable to vertically reciprocate said pressing head, the said means pivotally mounted on the head being responsive to the vertical reciprocation of the pressing head to open and close said valve means.

3. In a machine for pressing seams, a pressing head, said head having a steam coil therein, a work support roller mounted below said pressing head, means for supplying steam to said steam coil in the pressing head, said steam coil having an outlet, valve means mounted on said head to control the flow of steam through the steam coil, means operable to raise and lower the pressing head, and means responsive to the raising and lowering of the pressing head to operate the valve means.

4. In a seam pressing machine, the combination of a pressing head, a support therefor, a roller supported to contact said pressing head upon vertical movement of the latter, means to supply steam to said pressing head, a valve carried by said pressing head for controlling the steam supply, an elongated narrow passage in said pressing head terminating in a steam outlet having a constricted opening whereby steam may be supplied to material to be pressed, electrical heating means in said pressing head, means on said pressing head for opening and closing said valve, and means for vertically moving said pressing head toward and away from the roller, the said valve opening and closing means on the pressing head being responsive to the vertical movement of the pressing head to actuate said valve.

5. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination of a base with a frame thereon defining a U-shaped assembly, a pressing head supported on said frame for vertical reciprocation thereon, means for moving the pressing head, a roll rotatably supported on the base, steam extravasating means in said pressing head, valve means carried by the pressing head, and means on said pressing head for opening and closing said valve means and responsive to the vertical reciprocating movement of the pressing head to control steam flow to the extravasating means, said means on the pressing head for opening and closing the valve means including a member having both a pivotal and sliding movement connected to the head and frame.

6. In a seam pressing machine, a base, a frame defining with said base a U-shaped assembly, one leg of the U having a pressing head mounted thereon for vertical reciprocating motion, the other leg of the U having a roll mounted thereon for rotating motion. said first named leg having a guide slot, a guide on said pressin head operable in said slot, a lever fulcrumed on the first named leg connected with said pressing head to transmit motion thereto, a valve carried by the pressing head, and valve opening and closing means responsive to the vertical reci rocating motion of the head to control the operation of the valve.

7. Tn a seam pressing machine, a base, a hollow frame defining with said base a U-shaped assembly, one leg of the U having an extension thereon provided with a guide slot, a pressing head having steam extravasating means therein, a valve carried n said pressing he d. a valve stem in said valve, a guide on said pressing head reciprocablv movable in said guide slot. roll means, a rotatable shaft supported by the other leg of the U and connected to the roll means. a ear m unted on the shaft, other gear means supported in said hollow frame for driving the gear mounted on the shaft. a lever fulcrumed on the first named leg and operativelv connected to the pressing head. means connected to said lever to transmit reciprocal motion thereto, an arm extending upwardlv and carried by said head and having ivotally mounted thereon another arm connected to said valve stem. and means adiustablv associated wi h said last named arm mounted on the frame to limit the pivotal motion of the last named arm.

8. Tn a seam pressing machine, a frame carrying a pressing head h ving a ste m pass e therein. means mounted on the frame for raisin and lowering said pressing head, a bl ck on said head housing a valve for control of steam flow throu h said passa e, said block having an upstanding bracket arm, a valve operating lever pivotally m unted on said arm and carrying a valve stem, a valve adiusting element connecting said valve o erating lever to the fr me, s id valve peratin lever being slidablv connected to said valve adiusting element, seating means in said block f r the v lve stem. and passages in said bl ck communicati g with the steam pas a e in said ressin head. said valve o eratin lever bein responsive t the raising and lowering of the pressing head to actuate the valve.

9. In a machine for pressing seams, the combination of supporting means, a pressing head mounted on said supporting means for reciprocating motion and containing steaming means, a feed roll mounted on the supporting means, means carried by the supporting means for reciprocating the pressing head toward and away from the feed roll, valve means carried by the pressing head, and means connecting the valve means with the supporting means to automatically control the supply of steam when the pressing head is reciprocated, said last named connecting means including a link pivotally mounted on the supporting means, a lever pivotally mounted at its one end to the pressing head and slidably and adjustably connected at its other end to said link.

10. In a seam pressing machine, the combination of supporting means, a pressing head mounted on said supporting means for reciprocating motion and containing steaming means, a work holder mounted on the supporting means, means carried by the supporting means for reciprocating the pressing head into and out of pressing position with the work holder, valve means carried by the pressing head, means including a link pivotally mounted on the supporting member, a lever pivotally mounted; on the pressing head at its one end and slidably connected to the link at its other end, said last named means connecting the valve means with the supporting means to automatically control the supply of steam when the press ing head is reciprocated, and means on the link to adjust the operation of the valve means.

11. In a seam pressing machine, a base, a hollow frame defining with said base a U-shaped assembly, one leg of the U having an extension thereon provided with a guide slot, a pressing head having steam extravasating means therein, a valve carried on said pressing head, a valve stem in said valve, a guide on said pressing head reciprocably movable in said guide slot, work support means mounted on the other leg of the U, a lever fulcrumed on the first named leg and operatively connected to the pressing head, means connected to said lever to transmit reciprocal motion thereto, an arm extending upwardly and carried by said head and having pivotally mounted thereon another arm carrying said valve stem, and means mounted on the frame limiting the pivotal movement of said last named arm.

12. In a seam pressing machine, a frame member having a slot therein, a pressing head having a guide thereon adapted to ride in said slot, means in said pressing head to circulate steam, valve means carried by said pressing head to control the steam circulation, and means operatively connected to said pressing head and said valve means and said frame and including a member having both a pivotal and sliding movement to actuate the valve means responsive to the movement of the pressing head when the pressing head is reciprocated in said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 366,582 Haselton July 12, 1886 1,234,950 Staples July 31, 1917 1,337,204 Denemark Apr. 20, 1920 1,478,149 Van Gueplen Dec. 18, 1923 1,533,685 Bailer et al Apr. 14, 1925 1,684,819 Davis Sept. 18, 1928 1,754,665 Anthony Apr. 15, 1930 1,833,930 Boulton Dec. 1, 1931 1,955,664 Weisner Apr. 17, 1934 

